We demand an immediate departmental Inquiry into the mismanagement of the Department of Social, Therapeutic, Social Work and Community Studies (STACS) to address ongoing and escalating problems.
The current Head of Department, in partnership with various members of the Department Management Team (DMT) has failed:
- to provide effective leadership of the department;
- to resolve the 18 month long staffing and professional issues within the BA (Hons) Applied Social Science, Community Development and Youth Work, and the current issues with the MA Art Therapy, and the MA DMP;
- to resolve contractual issues and to adhere to employment legislation and Goldsmiths agreed policies and procedures;
- to consult in a meaningful way with staff and students;
- to recognise and value the expertise of staff and their potential to fulfil management, teaching and research roles;
- to provide transparency and equity applied to workload distribution;
- to provide decisions based on academic priority and judgement;
- to provide transparency regarding the Department’s budget/business plan;
- to provide effective investment in staff development;
- to provide strategic planning in relation to the staffing of courses resulting in uncertainly for staff and students;
- to provide recognition and responsiveness to the discipline-specific needs of all professional practice programmes;
The total lack of a collegial departmental atmosphere has allowed a toxic culture of management bullying and intimidation to develop across the department, which is impacting negatively on staff health and wellbeing.
Over 70% of STACS UCU members and non-members have recently registered a vote of no confidence in the Head of Department in a signed email to Elizabeth Hill, Pro-Warden.
Members of Goldsmiths UCU Executive Committee, along with STACS UCU members, STACS UCU reps. and Greg Barnett, Regional official, UCU HE London will be meeting with Mark d’Inverno Pro-Vice Warden, who is handling the STACS issues on behalf of the SMT, on Thursday 4th October at 4.00pm Deptford Town Hall.
We are asking for your support in demonstrating outside Deptford Town Hall from 3.30 pm onwards on October 4th.